hopkinson



E. HOPKlNSON.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PNEUMATIC TIRES FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I5, I9I8.

1 g 1 796517: Patented Sept; 30, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- E. HOPKHJSON:

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURWG PNEUMAHC TIRES FOB VEHiCLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-15.19l8.

1 31? @5? Patented Sept. 30,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

which. the following is a ;ER1\EST HDPEIHSQIOLOF TH'EW' "263131-331, Ill". 1.

APPARATUS KER IiEANYEFA'C/TURXNG EUMfiTI 3353B VEIZICLLSQ Specification of Letters Paient.

Applica tiozr filed. August 1 5, 1918. Na. fiLSQi To all 'IUkO'IiL 1' 6' may concern Be. it known that i ERNEST HQPKINSW, a. citizen of the llnited of New York city cmint iincl Stii'te af N95? York, have invented. certain new and Useful. lmprovemmics in Appar his for liluiiiiinw turing lneumzifiic Tires for Vcl'iicles of full, clear anal. exact descriplibn;

This inveiiiiio i relates to zipp- "us for building tires and more parliiciilzii y,- to zipparatus imparting the uesirccl shapeto theassembled.femnponenis; of a tire. casing.

The, DilnQlpiil object 01" the invention isimproviiile an apparatus for the rlistemling of ihc cvnirzil, artiun 0f the mind anal the moving of theerlg portions 'iheruof toward each other.

With this and iii-her objects iii-view, which. will remlily iippezir as till-vnuture of the invention is limiter iiiicli mat-(l, The sun (2 mn- $TlSl3S in the novel will .Jwtibn" combination, and arrangement of parts. \e'reinnfter more. fully clescriberh illustrated anal claimed.

Referring tn the drawing forming 21 part of this specification in which similar characters of rei'arencedesignate like parts throughout,

' Figure 1 is a front viaw partly in elcvw partly in s'tii'i i 0i: a preferred my iiii'eniion Willi (eltitlfl pin-ts tion and form 0i removed Fig. 2 is :m onlargml fragznimmil \lQW of Fig. 1 including" some of the parts not shown in Fig. 1 and sho ring: a form (if mlley hancl structure supported therehv:

3 is a ricw'in part of Fig. show ihc ventral portion of the hand distended and the edges moveil toward each other;

, Fig. l i911v View similar to Fig 3 showing" the SlllOS of the casing brought into comm \vi't-h tlw lllfiilikfll tube;

Fig. 5 is a view similar 0 Fig. 4 showing the shin flanges in place vtlgus of lhe casing; in thirir firm" and Fig. 6 a view 0' i positioning the raisin Show}; in i taken at right angles. harem The pulley hand indicated iii; A, Fig. 2 may he of any desired construction micl'nmy include an assemblage of all of the. parts of the casiir any portion thercofsurh,

or of for vxzin pki, the canvass of the casing. In the pii sent instance for (OllYQlllC-(TQAIYli illustration #1 cmiipleiie casing is s-slzown in outliiig builtfi'n the, "iiirm of flai pulley clinics and :1 resilient,

to i'iCCUllllllOdzh This H my be clmiz:

hlmrl. in any desirm'l nmnnciand by the, use of any desired 22; pz ratiis, but "this forum n) part the,

pruP-ci'at invention 110 'Y' ihis feature rice-mi shaft 1 rwoiiihly mmiiiiml upper ends are; arc pmviileil '2. reiiz ctiz'zg 'il em is aec-iirii fl a linrizit outer end 0f which r three arms impaired Shawn :i-r -72. The illilli mains for ek'emlingg- All for size i'limler it is only nearer 553w in remain P 'hu, cyliniili-ir 1:0 retract (3X16 0i? the arms 4? other :iriiis'rwusiining per y fixiwrl. lln the pr i instance fil'x s i irriule :icliustzi-hle l: iin 'niingg them v1011s, one sectixm screwing into the shm'ii, mil lock .flllifi are pm rider my acquiring the Ming in iiieir (lo/sire? mljusi-fl-gl positions.

A hollow cy'liiiclerf r (ion on uhe arms alinin inhaii the fire! an fippTQF ib l6 clam-anew l) face and mg in Order ilmi the cages? 0i" cnsi may be free (hiring;- the ilorming {)YOLQSS, and to provide (E'iiGIS. The arms having been mlji ii pariiciilzrr ":5 supported in pew?- 7 iiiilar is of less so as in leaw; wen itsi surspare for the deflated tube as; will late :11)-

(l 011 its interim: Wall iniuwlml for saui iporiziiig the if it has been shaped and remveri to other nppnrums for subsequent treatment, and it is therefore desirable that simpla and ready means he providil i0 facilitate the removal of the cylinder from the arms 3-ancl the placing; thereon 0'? anuil er QyllIMlQl which must becloi e. fo'i'feachtire that is built.-

urlption (if e cylinmm of variouS diam-- An inflatable tube 8 is supported on the cylinder 6 and is preferably of an interior diameter substantially equal to that oi": the supporting cylinder. so that it will. closely lit thereupon. My invention when viewed.

broadly is not restricted to any particular type of tube but for reasons that will presently appear is preferably composed ot vulcanized rubber reinforced with fabric. the latter serving to restrict the tube when in dated to a. predetern'iined size and shape as shown in Figs. 3 to ()r if desired the bag may be made entirely of rubber, and a suitable rubber coinpound ma Y be chosen and the rubber 'wall suitably tluckcned at the desired parts to serve in place of the fabric reinforcement.

lVhen the tube as thus constructed is (X- pandcd it will somewhat, resemble the. usual type of rigid core, and will accordingly impart definitesize to the casin without the necessity of outer confining means such as an outer tread band or mold walls which are usually necessary Where a freely elastic rubber tube is employed. The tube is provided with the usual valve for inflating and deflating it. which may conveniently pass through an orifice formed in the cylinder (3 as shown at 9.

While the cylinder (3 may be of any suitable \vidth desired I have found in practice that it need be no Wider than. approximately the width of the tube when deflated and flattened. and in my preferred embodiment. as shown. in Fig. 2 I have constructed the cylinder of substantially the same width as the flattened tube. and to insure a ready means of definitely positioning" the bag upon the cylinder I have provided the side rings 10 which when in position at the commencement. of the forming process make a channel for the inflating tube. Although one ring will answer the purpose of positioning the tube, I have shown two as these rings are also used for a further purpose as will presently appear. The rings are made detachable from the cylinder and in the present instance are in the form of split rings U-shaped in cross section thereby adapt ng them to engage downwardly projecting flanges 11 formed at the edges of the cylinder. the outer parts of the. rings being the longer for enabling them to extend beyond the cylinder to form a. channel "for the in fiating tube and also to constitute locking means for the side flanges 17 hereafter de scribed.

A rage 12 is provided for centralizing the pulley band structure upon the tube and isprctcrably L-shape in cross-section to provide a shoulder-in which an edge of the pulley band may rest. The gage which is also curved to correspond sul'istantially to the curvature vot' the band. may be of any desired length. and while I have found that a single gage \vill sullicc to centralize the band two or more may be employed it' desired. The gage 12 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical arm 11) which is secured at its lower end to a hub 14 mounted to slide longitudinally on the shaft '2 to en: ble the gage to be set for diticrcnt widths of bands. and a lock nut 15 is provided for Htl'lll'llll: the hub in adjusted position. The arm I is made longitudinally adjustabl by forming it of sections ha vinp; respectively right and left handed threads which screw into a vein tral section whereby the turning oi the central section will operate to raise or lower the gag'cas desired to adjust it for bands of different diameters as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Lock nuts 16 are provided for securing the sections in the desired :nljnstcd positions.

The pulley hand having been built: to the desired degree of completion is mounted upon the support including the cylinder 6. deflated tube 8. and rings 10. The pulley band after it has been mounted on the cylinder is moved laterally relative to the tube until its edge. rests in the shoulder formed by the vertical and horizontal portions of the gage 12. v-bich centrally locates the band upon the tube and cylinder. the gage. of course. having: been first adjusted to accord with the size of casing being built. it is desirable that the outer portions'oi the rings 10 stand for a convenient distance beyond the iiattened tube so that the band when being centralized will move freely over the tube and there should also be a sutlicient amount of clearance between the rings 10 and band to permit tree lateral moveiinent of the latter. When the band is thus centralized the tube is then inflated" by connecting the valve thereof with a source of fluid supply or pump (not shown). The band. by this operation. is sin'lultaneously distended along its central portion While the edges are moved toward each other as shown in Fig. 3. When the shaping of the band has progressed to the desired extent in, this manner the bag is held in its inflated state, the rings 10 are removed. and thesides of the casing are moved further together c until they come into contact with the in- Hated tube and the casing assumes the po' sition shown in Fig. 4. This may accomplished by hand or by the use of any desired instrumentality. as for instance by the use of a tool resembling a tire stitching tool. the cylinder 6 being revolved during this period.

A pair of annular side flanges 17 are then mounted upon the cylinder. 'llheiianges are preferably formed with oppositely disposed inner Walls l7"ctu'responding in contour to the exterior Walls of the edge. portions of finished casing, and preferably have a base portion 17 which rests upon the cylinder and fills the space between the edges of the casing and cylinder when the edges are in their final positions as shown in Fig. 5. The base portions of the flanges are'prei? erably tapered at their inner edges 17 to better enable them to pass between the edges of the casing and cylinder when first placed in position. The flanges as they are moved inwardly engage the edges of the casing and force them into their final positions as shown in Fig. 5, the side walls being thus brought with any desired amount of pres sure into engagement with the side walls of the inflated tube. The split rings 10 are then replaced upon the cylinder 6, the outer portions serving to secure the flanges 17 against outward movement, which in this position cooperate with the cylinder 6 to form a channel for supporting the casing as thus brought to tire shape.

The tube, if desired, need not be entirely inflated-until after the flanges have been secured in place, and outer confining means such as mold walls may also be used if desired to support the casing extcriorly and the tube may be inflated to full size either before or after the introduction of the mold section. In fact I prefer to partially deflate the tribe (from the position shown in Fig. 4) before the flanges are placed in position. This will relieve the edges of the casing of any slight stretch they may have been subjected to, and place them in position to be engaged by the flanges 17 as they are moved to their final position; after which the tube may be. inflated to the degree de sired.

It will be understood that after the pulley band has been subjected tothe shaping action of the apparatus forming the present invention it may be subjected to further treatments in connection with other apparatus for giving final formation and vulcanization thereto. Also where only a part of the components are assembled for treatment by the presentapparatus such for instance the carcass, the remaining parts such as the breaker strip, cushion stock, tread, etc., may the added after the casing has been inflated in the manner already described.

It will be seen that m invention contemplates a cylindrical support for the tube both when deflated and inflated. When in.- flated the central portion ot the cylinder serves as the support, and the edge portions provide SMPPOITS for the two edges of the casing, which portions being preferably integral with the central portion are fixed against relative movement in their respective planes so that positive and accurate alinement of the edges ofthe casing is assured when they are brought to their final positions. The side flanges which are provided for retaining the edges of the casing against outward movement are restricted by the cylinder to an outward and inward movement thereby always maintaining perfeet alinement with each other. They are moreover provided with the tapered in wardly extending projections which are of material assistance in forcing the flanges between the cylinder and tire-edges, thereby gradually stretching the edges until they are engaged by the suitably shaped bead cavities formed in the flanges. The flanges are then forced to their final positions and the tube inflated to the desired extent. The pressure thus produced upon the edges causes them to fit snugly within the cavity of the flanges, thereby giving them the shape and exact diameter desired.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof,

it is to be understood that i do not intend to limit myself to the specific form of embodinient ofthe invention herein described.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patthe central circumferential line of said cyl inder, and means for securin said flanges in a position relatively to each other to form with the cylinder a channel for the casing when in tire shape.

2. Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a flat pulleyflband by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to move toward each other, comprising an inflatable tube, a cylinder supporting said tube, means for positioning the tube upon the cylinder, and means including said positioning means for confining the edges of the casing to prevent outward lateral movement. said confining means being adapted to 'Zmgage only a portion of the elite -ior of the casing thereby leaving a portion. unconfined to freely respond to the shapii'ig influence of the said. tube.

3. Apparatus for forming a tire casing t'rom a flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to move toward each other, comprising an inflatable tube, a cylinder supporting said tube and means for confining the edges of the casing when in tire shape to prevent outward lateral Inoren'ient, 'said confining means being adapted to engage only a portion of the exterior of the casing thereby leaving portion unconfined to freely respond to the shaping; influence ot the said tube.

4. Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a Hat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to more toward each other, comprising an inllatable tube. a cylinder supporting said tube, means for positioning the tube upon the cylinder when in deflated position. and a side gage for positioning the. band relative to the tube.

5; Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a tlat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to more toward each other. comprising an inflatable tube. a cylinder supporting said tube, and side flanges movable toward and away from the tube. said flanges having portions extending iu\\'ar ll oi sutlicient width to support the edges of the casing interiorly throughout their entire areas thereby defining the interior diameter of the casing.

(3. Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a flat-pulley band by expandingits central portion and causing its edges to more toward each other, comprisingan intl'atable tube, a cylinder supporting said tube, and side flanges movable. toward and away from the tube, said flanges having portions extending inwardlyunderneath the edges of the casing and tapering portions extending inwardly therefrom beyond the edges of the casing to adapt the tlangis to be forced between the cylinder and casing to provide a support. tor the edges of the casing interiorly throughout their entire areas thereby defining the interior diameter of the casing.

7. Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a fiat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to more toward'cach other, comprising an inflatable tube, a cylinder supporting said tube, and side rings mounted at predetermined positions upon the cylinder and cooperating therewith to form a channel the Width of the tube when deflated and flattened to sup-r port same in fixed lateral relation thereto.

8. Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges 'to move toward each other, comprising an inflatable tube, a cylinder supporting said tube, and side rings mounted at, predetermined positions upon the cylinder and coloose fit with the band to permit the band to be, freely moved laterally.

9. Apparatus tor forming a tire casing from a flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causiiigitsedges tow move toward each other, comprising a cylinder, an inflatable tube supported upon the outer circumference of the cylinder, a siile gage for positioning the band relative to the tube, and means for detachably sccuring the cylinder in fixed relation to the gage.

10. A 'iparatus for forming a tire casing from a. flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to move toward each other, comprising an intlatable tube, acylinder supporting said tube, a side gage for positioning the band relative to the tube, and means for contining the edges of the casing to prevent outward lateral movement.

'11. Apparatus for forming a tire casing vfrom a fiat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to more, toward each other, comprising an inllatable tube. a cylinder supporting said tube. and a side gage for positioning the band relative to the, tube.

12. Apparatus for forming a. tire casing from a llat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to l ve to 'ard each other, comprising an in- "from a. flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to more toward. each other, comprising an inflatable tube, a cylinder supporting said tube, means for positioning the tube upon the cylinder, side flanges movable toward and away from each other, and. means including said positioning means for securing said flanges in operable position.

l5. Apparatus for use in forming a tire cas ng comprising a support for the tire casing adapted to span the edges thereof, mcansrat each edge of the casing mounted on the support and movable transversely relatively thereto for confining the. edges of the casing to prevent outward lateral movement, a restricted inflatable tube for independently supporting the casing at a predetermined size from the interior there, of. and means for introducing fluid to the interior of the tube.

16, Apparatus for use in forming a tire casing comprising a restricted inflatable tube for independently supporting the easing at a predetermined size from the interior thereof, means for introducing fluid to the interior oi the tube, supporting means coinprisingr a central ortion supporting said tube, and end portions for supporting and confining respectively the two edgesof the casing to prevent outward relative movement thereof, said portions being'fixed against relative movement in their respective planes out capable of transverse movement relative to said central portion.

17. Apparatus for forming a tire casing from a flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to move toward each other, comprising an inflatable tube, and a cylinder for support ing said tube of -a,Widtl1 equal. at least to the transverse dimension of the tube when in deflated flattened position.

18. Apparatus for forming a tire easing from a .flat pulley band by expanding its central portion and causing its edges to move toward each other, comprising a rotatable support, a portable cylinder detachably mounted on the support, and an inflatable tube supported by the cylinder throughout its entire interior area When in deflated fiattened position.

Signed at New York, county and State of New York, this 14th day of August 1918.

ERNEST HOPKINSON. 

